One type of interactive electronic commerce system available to users is online trade-in stores. Accordingly, web sites have arisen that allow users to sell items, such as DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) movies, audio CDs (Compact Discs), or video games, among others. Generally, a user may visit a web site hosting the online trade-in store and search a catalog of items that the store is interested in purchasing from users. The user will typically register with the store to become a customer by entering personal information, such as the user's name, mailing address, and payment information. Once registered, the customer can then make a trade-in request. For example, if the user, after searching the catalog, finds an item listed in the catalog that is also currently owned by the user, then the user may add the item to his or her virtual shopping cart and agree to sell the item to the store. Thereafter, the customer will need to physically ship the item to the store and wait to receive confirmation that the item has been received and is in proper condition, before receiving credit or compensation for the item from an operator of the trade-in store.